Date: Fri, 21 May 99 18:58:00 -0500
From: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Subject: [NGLTF PRESS] Nevada Passes Employment Rights Bill
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NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE
PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Betsy Gressler, Deputy Political Director
202-332-6483 ext. 3306
800-757-6476 pager
bgressler@ngltf.org
1700 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20009
www.ngltf.org
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NEVADA LEGISLATURE PASSES EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS BILL;
AMENDMENT EXEMPTS NON-PROFIT GROUPS
WASHINGTON, DC --- May 21, 1999 --- The National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force today applauded the Nevada legislature's
approval of a bill to ban job discrimination based on sexual
orientation. The bill passed the Assembly 30-11 on April 1st
and the Senate on May 20th by a vote of 13-8. The measure now
goes back to the Assembly for approval of a Senate amendment,
then on to Governor Kenny Guinn (R) who has pledged to sign
it into law.
"We commend the Nevada legislature for recognizing that
discrimination is wrong," said Kerry Lobel, executive director
of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "Today's vote sends
a signal that Nevada values and respects all its citizens."
Introduced by openly gay Assemblyman David Parks, the bill
will add sexual orientation to the state's existing employment
non-discrimination law. The bill carries an amendment that
exempts non-profit organizations from complying with the sexual
orientation provision of the non-discrimination provisions.
The exemption would apply to all nonprofits, such as charitable
organizations like the Boy Scouts or American Red Cross,
private schools, museums, hospitals, and others.
Currently ten states have civil rights laws banning
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in some
categories that include employment, housing, and public
accommodations. The states (and the year the laws were enacted)
are Wisconsin (1982); Massachusetts (1989); Connecticut and Hawaii
(1991); California, New Jersey, and Vermont (1992); Minnesota
(1993); Rhode Island (1995); New Hampshire (1997).
Bills creating or strengthening civil rights laws covering gay,
lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people have been introduced
in 20 states (CA, CO, DE, HI, IL, IA, LA, MA, MD, MO, MT, NV,
NH, NM, NY, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV). Civil rights bills in five of
these states cover only employment-based discrimination (DE, IL,
LA, NV, TX). Only the Nevada bill remains alive. Comprehensive
civil rights legislation banning discrimination on the basis of
sexual orientation in the areas of employment, housing, and
public accommodations have been introduced in 13 states (CA,
CO, HI, IA, IL, MD, MO, MT, NM, NY, VA, WA, WV). Measures in
only two of these states remain alive (CA,NY).
For more information about the bill, contact David Parks at
775/684-8821. For other state legislative activity, please
consult the 1999 Legislative Updates issued by the Task Force at
http://www.ngltf.org/legupdate99. For a complete review of 1998
activity, reference "Capital Gains and Losses," a state by state
review of GLBT and HIV/AIDS-related legislation at
http://www.ngltf.org/cgal98.
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Founded in 1973, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force works to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people at the local, state and national level. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society.
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